The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1887-07-07
On the Brink
BY HARRIET A. CHEEvER.

By HARNlEI a. ChEENEk.
yes. John, l really think we must
have Champney. the swell new caterer.
for this occasion. know his charges
are frightful, but then you are doing so
we'll. and this. after all. will be the first
large party we ever have given. Bow
ers will attent to the floral decorations.
and the Mendelssohn orchestra will
furnish such delectable music! 1t will
be just splendid. know, and please
can't have \ dress made at Crash's
Just this once ?'
A par of lustrous brown eyes were
raised with languid grace to John
Ch;sholm's face as the girlish, rambling
speech ended with its beseeching quer-
ry. Ii was altogether q bewitching
face which John gazed upon as his
young wife turned towards him. He
had never been able to resist the pow
or OF her beauty, never since he had
met her five years before-a sweet,
dainty girl of eighteen years
She had now been his wife for four
years. and not one whit less charming
had she grown in his eyes since the day
he brought her, lovely bride. to their
handsome new house in the city. And
to the fond husbands mind there SEEM
ed always to dwell in the depths of his
wife's luminous eyes an expression
recognized only by himself. An ex-
preston causing vague conviction
that away down beneath the pleasing
softness of their bright CLEAN there
was hidden an undercurrent of power.
of t>tmanly strength. which might
manifest itself upon occasion.
For any one unfortunate enough to
have lost both parents while q mere
child, Eelen Chisholm had yet been
very fortunate person. Rather an in
congruous observation as first viewed.
but true enough when understood. For
when the little Helen had met her I'M
recognized loss. an indulgent old grand
father had taken her to his comfortable
home. and with motherly housekeeper
to pet and care for her. the little girl
had budded into maidenhood and
blossomed into early womanhood with
out having known a serious anxiety or
being brought face to face with any Of
the sterner lessons of life.
Then John Chisholm had come to the
village one day, and although other ad-
mirers had tried without success to
win the favor of the beautiful girl,
there was that about this fine-looking
gentleman with his grave. kindly face
and ten years Of superior age, which
had speedily attracted the fower-like
Helen. And so conquest had been
easy enough for John Chisholm where
it had been impossible for younger and
perhaps Weather lovers.
For Mr.. Chisholm was not rich, al
though on marrying he found himself
able to provide coy, inviting home
he could fondly call his own, and with
in he happily established fair young
mistress whose graceful person and
winsome manners soon rendered her a
great favorite in the gay get refined
circle into which her husband had
proudly introduced her. And perhaps
it was not strange that the fattering
attractions lavished upon her should
have resulted In desire to plunge
deeply into the fascinating and
expensive pleasures of her new as
sociates.
Two years after her marriage Mrs.
Chisholm's grandfather had died and
the little property left was divided be-
tween two surviving sons. But the
salary received from the monied cor
poration of which Mr.. Chisholm was
the trusted treasurer, ought to have
proved sufficient for more than merely
comfortable living.
Yes. the salary ought to have proved
ample income for family of two per-
sons or even three times that number,
but alas, for the exactions of fashions
BILE life in the city!
Had any one ever limited to John
Chisholm in his bachelor days, that
even mighty love for the woman that
he might call his wife could tempt him
for moment beyond the bounds of
strictest prudence and integrity, he
would have laughed the unlikely idea
to scorn. But little by little he had
unwisely yielded to his wife's ambition
to vie with the customs and habits of
those far better off than themselves.
and the snare was one SO easily fallen
into that threatened ENHANCEMENT
crept on with swift though silent foot
steps.
Nor were his wife's expensive pro-
clivities the only troublesome ones in
his way. Before his marriage it had
been matter of pride with Mr.. CHS
holm being considered one of the most
genial, handed members OF the
popular club to which he belonged.
Distinguished visitors to the metropo-
lis rarely failed to sit at a right royal
banquet given in their honor by his
courtly company, ana the occasions
were always remembered with hearty
satisfaction by their favored guests.
How could he withdraw from the
charmed circle?
When John Chisholm first faced the
vexing fact that the expenses of their
mode of living were exceeding his abil-
ity to meet them readily, he resolved
to have talk with his wife and adjust
matters on firm, safe footing. But
every time he was about to breach the
trying subject it seemed as If by some
strange fatality the unsuspecting little
woman would ward off his serious
speech with some request 50 apparently
reasonable that refusal would have APP
peared yeritable meanness, and then
how could he dampen her light spirits
and begin denying the wishes it had
been such delight to crafty! And